Shining Light
by CarsWorldFan
Summary: This story is an extension of the scenes that take place inside the Works during the events of my story, New Mountain Engine. It has been beautifully co-written by Speckless Nougat and CarsWorldFan. Elaine has been injured, and so she's sent to the Works for repairs. Will Jim and Ellie be able to help her as she comes to terms with her disability, and her grief?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment. The OCs Ellie and Jim belong to Speckless Nougat. All other OCs, including Elaine, belong to me.**

 **I have to say a huge thank you to Speckless Nougat for willingly taking on the challenge of co-writing this story with me! We've had an amazing time figuring it all out, and we're both delighted with the final result, so we hope you are too. If you haven't yet read my story, New Mountain Engine, I strongly advise you to do so before reading this.**

Shining Light

 **Elaine's POV**

 _How can my life possibly get any worse than this?_ I wondered miserably as the lorry I was chained to bounced and lurched down the road. Clearly, this driver had never transported an engine before, let alone an injured one like me. I was in enough pain as it was, without being jolted by the potholes. I had no idea where I was, due largely to the fact that I couldn't see anything. My poor, beautiful hazel eyes were badly swollen and very sore. Even if I had been able to see, I still wouldn't have known where I was, because I am only five weeks old and not very familiar with the Island of Sodor yet. I've spent three of those first five weeks of my life working on the Culdee Fell Railway. The other two weeks I spent at the Works undergoing tests, which is where I was being taken now.

Earlier today, I'd been descending Culdee Fell with my lovely old coach, Margaret, when just beyond Skarloey Road station, we'd been caught up in a terrible rockside. One of the rocks had hit me between my eyes, and I don't really remember what happened after that. When I woke up, I wondered if it was night time, because all I could see was a wall of blackness. My driver then told me to just close my eyes and rest. I tried to, but I was really worried about Margaret. She wouldn't answer me at all!But I knew she was still there, because I could feel that her coupling was still attached to mine. My dear friend, Culdee, soon arrived with the rescue gang, and I asked him how Margaret was. He never answered my question, because he was more worried about me after I told him that I couldn't see.

I'm sure the men at the Works will be able to fix me and make me be able to see again. I mean, they built me, so I know they know what they're doing. I hope Thomas will still be there. I made friends with him while the men were testing me. He told me a lot of funny stories to keep me entertained while the men worked on us. One of the stories he told was about the time he went to breakfast. I love that story! Thomas was so silly then! I know I'd never do anything as silly as going without my crew.

Speaking of my crew, I'm so glad that none of them or my passengers were badly injured in the rockslide. I believe a few of the passengers were taken to a place called the hospital, which I understand is the human equivalent of the Works, so they should be okay.

I snapped out of my thoughts as I felt the lorry slow down and stop. Hearing some crickets chirping, I realised that it must be dark by now. Then, I heard a repetitive beeping sound as the lorry started to reverse. Sensing a change in the air temperature from cold to warm, I guessed that I'd arrived at the Works, and that I was now being taken inside.

"That's good! Hold it right there!" a man shouted from somewhere behind me. I listened closely to the sound of each voice, hoping to hear someone familiar. Another man was muttering nearby. I guessed that he was talking to his wife on one of those mobile phone things.

"I'm sorry, honey. I know how much you wanted to go out for dinner, but we have an emergency situation on our hands. One of the mountain engines has been in a serious accident, and we need to get her comfortable before I come home. I'll phone you when I'm really to leave. We might still be able to make it to the restaurant by eight. Love you."

The men were now unchaining me for the lorry. Overhead, I heard the familiar sound of the remote-controlled gantry crane being moved into position. That meant that I was about to be lifted into the air – again! I began hyperventilating as my panic levels escalated. Yes, I'm ashamed to admit that I'm a mountain engine who's afraid of heights. I don't know why I'm so afraid of them, but it has been causing me many problems already.

"Please, stop!" I begged the men desperately. "I don't want to be lifted into the air again!"

A door slammed nearby, and I gasped when I heard the foreman's familiar footsteps approaching. The Work's foreman's name is Jim. He was in charge of my build, so naturally I feel intimidated by him. I'm sure he doesn't mean to frighten me, but I'm just naturally frightened by a lot of things, including men in authority. I guess I'm just always afraid that I'll be scolded for innocently doing something wrong.

"What are you all standing around for?" Jim said firmly to the workers. "I know it's sad seeing Elaine so badly damaged after we put so much effort into building her, but the sooner we begin working on her, the sooner we can send her back."

The workers promptly began securing me to the overheard gantry crane. I kept whimpering fearfully until I felt my wheels leave the lorry's tray. Then, before I could stop myself, I began to scream and cry at the same time.

 **Ellie's POV**

As poor Elaine went to pieces before our eyes, Jim's team simply stood still and stared at her, which wasn't much help at all. I was surprised that she appeared to take no notice; had I been in her position, I'm sure I'd have felt very humiliated. I felt almost angry on her behalf, though I supposed I should cut the men some slack. They might have built her, but most of the workmen hadn't dealt with the behaviour of engines of such a tender age, and I'd certainly never met an engine this young before. Jim was the only member of the workmen who remained composed; shaking his head at the team because he'd told them five minutes ago to get moving, yet they were still, for the most part, just standing there. I tapped him on the shoulder, keeping my voice low, even though it was already drowned out by poor Elaine's sobs.

"Let me talk to her while I get her washed." I said quickly. I didn't know yet how to deal with this engine either, though I could plainly see that my usual banter and teasing - however gentle it was - was definitely not the right method. Jim, however, decided to place his entire trust in me just for that moment. He gave a curt nod. He signalled to his team, and they scarpered in two seconds flat. Jim was calmer and more tactful; he gave me a smile that I'd come to understand meant "do your best, but hurry it up". I'm sure he could have offered Elaine his own unique form of comfort; off the record, he's actually very good at it - but he's not always used to dealing with tears and what he sometimes (incorrectly) refers to as 'tantrums'.

Poor Elaine was quite clearly having a panic attack up there, attached to the crane, and judging from what I'd heard about her situation, she was completely entitled to it. I couldn't believe such a young engine had already had to suffer so much, and I thought that by giving her my attention and some well deserved tender loving care whilst I gave her a wash, I could maybe help this poor engine to calm down. I wasn't sure why she was so afraid, but I'd probably pester Jim about that later; in the meantime, something about Elaine struck a chord with me. I had been a very nervous child (believe it or not) and had suffered several panic attacks myself; though they weren't referred to as such when I was young - they'd been called 'being silly'. My father knew better; but then he always did. He could have done no wrong as far as I was concerned, and so I decided to try out some of his methods on Elaine – but first I had to wait for her to finish being transferred from the lorry to the rails. This wasn't helping her anxiety at all; but now the process was in motion, it was safer to wait for the transition to be completed and start from square one.

I waited until they'd finished with her; her sad sobs and panicked breathing reverberating round the open space of the works, tears flowing from her poor eyes. When they'd set her down and everything was in order, I waved a hand to dismiss the workmen silently. Finally alone, I walked up to the Works' newest engine; we'd all been so excited for her while she was being built. I shook my head to clear it of any negative thoughts and focused on the task in hand. I ran my hand very carefully along her front, remaining very gentle and not zealous, in case she didn't want to be touched. I didn't receive any objections, so I continued in this fashion for a moment before speaking, being very aware of the volume of my voice; I knew that being too loud or intimidating would be a mistake.

"It's alright," I soothed softly. "They've gone now."

Elaine opened her tear-filled eyes. They were red and swollen, though now I was closer to her face I could see that this wasn't just from crying as I'd initially thought. I needed to get a better look.

"Would you mind if I come a bit closer?"

"N-no." Elaine replied, and what worried me was that, when she replied, she wasn't looking at me. Her eyes were swollen half-closed, it was true, but what I could see of her gaze was focused straight ahead, as if I was standing in a slightly different position to where I actually was, though the large openness of the Works often made the sound travel and you never could be quite sure where someone was calling from if you couldn't see them. There was a feeling in my chest, like someone was pressing a fist into my heart. I moved a little nearer, taking slow and cautious steps. I didn't want to approach her too quickly. Finally, I was standing in front of her face. I stood there in silence for a moment, and then I very cautiously waved a hand in front of her eyes. I got no response. The fist in my chest gave my heart several punches for good measure as I realized my suspicions were true; it took me a moment to compose myself. I made sure there were no hints of trepidation or hesitation in my voice before speaking; any doubts I had, Elaine would most definitely pick up on. I would have to notify Jim of this development as soon as possible; but for now, I wanted to help poor Elaine relax, even if it was just a little.

"What's your name?" I already knew the answer to this, but Elaine didn't know that, and you've got to start somewhere.

"I-I'm Elaine." Came the somewhat choked reply.

"Well, Elaine. Nice to meet you. My name's Ellie, I'm one of Jim's colleagues. Now, let's see what we can do to help you, shall we?"

 **Elaine's POV**

I must say that I was rather surprised by Ellie's gentleness towards me. I was more used to men ordering me about, and making decisions for me. I hadn't had any real exposure to women yet. Thinking back, I couldn't remember having met Ellie before, but her name did sound somewhat familiar. I drew in a deep breath before letting it out slowly again. Driver had tried to teach me to do that whenever I was terrified about climbing Culdee Fell, but it never really worked. I guess some fears just can't be controlled.

"I don't remember you," I whispered.

"I was away on holidays when the men finished building you," Ellie replied. "I wish I hadn't been though, because I've always wanted to see a new engine wake up for the very first time. But it was the only time I could get off work before the summer holidays. Summer is the busiest time for us here at the Works, so we try to take our annual holidays at other times of the year."

I closed my eyes tiredly. Ellie's rambling was just making my headache worse. I figured that she was just trying to take my mind off things, but it wasn't really helping. Then I smiled a little. Now I remembered why her name sounded so familiar! During my testing period, Jim had often said things like, "We'll let Ellie deal with that when she gets back," and, "Put this file in Ellie's office please." Once, I'd even heard him say, "I wish Ellie was here. This place nearly falls to pieces without her around!"

"I'm just going to fetch my cleaning equipment, so I can wash all of that dust off you," Ellie explained.

I listened to her retreating footsteps. There were a few seconds of silence, but then I heard the familiar 'clang' of a metal bucket. More silence, followed by the sound of water running out of a tap. Then, Ellie returned to my side.

"Now, I'm afraid this might be a little bit cold…" Ellie began as she dipped her sponge into the water. I felt her gently run the soaked sponge over my damaged right-hand water tank. She was right. It was a little bit cold, but not intolerable.

"How does that feel?" Ellie asked me kindly.

"Wonderful, thank you…" Sighing, I settled down to sleep.

It wasn't easy though. I remembered how the narrow gauge inspection pit was close to the main workers' offices, and from the muffled sounds I could hear in the background, I was sure I was in exactly the same position. I'd just reached that blissful point when I was just about to fall fast asleep, when a phone rang inside one of the offices. The sudden noise jolted me awake. I grunted with annoyance.

"Ellie? Are you still there?"

"Yes." Her voice came from my other side this time."I've almost finished washing you. I hope I didn't wake you?"

"No…" I sighed. "Is Thomas here?"

"I'm afraid not," Ellie replied. "He went back to his branch line a couple of weeks ago."

I tried not to show my disappointment. "Oh. Are there any other engines here?"

"Only Boco, one of the mainline diesels. But he's down the back."

I sighed again. "Ellie?"

"Yes?"

"Um…I was just wondering…Why can't I see anything anymore? All I can see is black, like it's night time or something. Is there…" I paused nervously. "…something wrong with me?"

I could sense Ellie's hesitation. That was enough to tell me that she didn't know how to respond to my question. Another tired sigh escaped my lips. "Never mind," I mumbled as I closed my sore eyelids yet again. "I'm sure you'll be able to fix me."

 **Ellie's POV**

I felt dreadful at not being able to answer Elaine's question. She might have been young, but she was sharp, and one day I expected she'd be able to outsmart the best of us. I ran the sponge along the last of the dirt on her paintwork, finishing it off with brief polish using a soft cloth. I heard Elaine sigh again, though I thought that this time it sounded more like one of tiredness rather than nervousness. I dropped the sponge back into the bucket and stood still for a moment; and then another, waiting until Elaine's breathing was soft and even, and I knew that she'd fallen asleep, exhausted from the day's rather unsettling events.

I hopped down from the ladder lightly (or I like to imagine that I did. It's more of a stagger these days, but don't rain on my parade) and folded it up as quietly as I could. Luckily I'd worked my previous ladder (which I've come to know affectionately as 'Old Squeaker') off on Jim's team, so I managed to execute the whole clearing up process in relative silence. I peered round at Elaine's face once I was finished, worried that I might have woken her up again – I glared across at the telephone, warning it to be quiet – but Elaine remained completely oblivious for the time being. I tip-toed across to the office and shut the door very carefully, then I made my way across to the other side of the Works, to Jim's office.

It had once been a very intimidating location, especially when I first started working here. Jim was my mentor, but at first I didn't think he was the type I could go rushing to in a crisis. But as I soon learned, I couldn't have been more wrong. Jim was _exactly_ the person I needed in a crisis. He was calm, quiet, the voice of reason in any dispute – but you did not want to make him angry. It took a lot for him to lose his temper; and I could see why. You develop a certain patience after working for long periods with Sodor engines. If you couldn't stay calm and keep a cool head while they were all bickering about who was fastest, best, strongest, whatever, you'd have soon been institutionalized. But once you get used to it, you almost start developing a sort of affection towards it – the engines of Sodor just wouldn't be the same without those traits.

I knocked on the office door, very quietly. Too quietly, I think, because I didn't receive an answer. I knocked a teensy bit louder, glancing back over my shoulder at the still-sleeping Elaine. He heard that one, because he flung the door open with his usual authorative manner.

"Ah, Ellie." He boomed loud enough for the whole Works to practically hear. Elaine stirred a little.

"Shh! I've just managed to get her to sleep..."

Jim rubbed his temples, looking at me like I was one of those over-enthusiastic parents who was too keen to show off what their children could do.

"She's not a baby, Ellie..."

"Well, technically she is. She's only five weeks old..." I replied stoutly.

Jim gave me a half-smile. "Well _I_ was in charge of her build, so technically that would mean she's actually _my_...look, never mind all that rubbish," Jim cut himself off gruffly. Before you assume anything, I kept my mouth shut. I know when to stop pushing my luck, thank you very much. "I want to discuss Elaine's condition with you." He placed her file on the desk. She might have been young, but since Elaine had been built from scratch here at the Works, she already had a file of considerable size.

Jim flipped through the pages, skimming them quickly.

"Now, everything was in order when she passed her final safety checks...the only problem we really encountered was that she has a fear of heights, and that's not a technical problem..."

I was surprised, to say the least.

"Elaine has aerophobia?"

Jim looked at me.

"Didn't I mention it? I thought you knew...I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind."

I made a mental note of this. I felt so daft. Now I understood why poor Elaine had been so frightened when the crane had been lifting her up. It also reminded me of why I'd come here to see Jim in the first place. I'm not one to beat about the bush, and I know Jim likes things told to him straight, and not sugar-coated, though I knew this would break his heart. Mine felt like it was breaking for poor Elaine, so I knew that Jim would feel the same way; as the man in charge of her build, Jim felt a special connection to the new mountain engine – and in that moment, I hesitated.

Jim knows me well. Well enough to realize when something's wrong, even if he isn't looking at me. He knew it in that moment, too, because he put Elaine's file carefully back down on the desk, rested both hands on the back of his chair, and looked up at me.

"Alright. Something's up. What is it, Ellie?"

I opened my mouth, though nothing came out the first time. I tried again.

"I...when I was washing Elaine...I mean, I knew something was wrong, I was standing there and she was all like, you know, but then I waved my hands in front of her."

Jim gave me a look. I kicked myself mentally, because I knew none of that had made any sense. I was fighting between wanting to spare Jim this pain and my own sympathy for Elaine. Pulling myself together, I knew this wasn't helping anyone, so I came out with it. Coherently this time.

"I went up to Elaine to get a better look at her, before I gave her a wash. I hadn't been paying much attention to her sore eyes before; I just thought they were swollen where she'd been crying. But I had my suspicions...and when I got up there, I waved my hand in front of her eyes; she didn't respond to me. At _all_."

Jim shoved the chair out of the way with such force that it fell right over, landing on its back. He held me by the shoulders a bit too tightly; I could see the anguish in his face. To see a man who was normally so composed this upset was very unsettling.

"Ellie...are you trying to tell me that you think Elaine is...blind?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment. The OCs Ellie and Jim belong to Speckless Nougat. All other OCs, including Elaine, belong to me.**

 **Elaine's POV**

Now that the shock of my accident had worn off, I awoke the following morning feeling very sore and sorry for myself. I cautiously opened my poor, swollen eyes, hoping that the troubling black wall would be gone at last. But, to my utmost disappointment, it was still there.

I listened closely. The Works was eerily quiet. For a while, I wondered if it was still night time, but then I finally heard the sound of someone unlocking a door, followed by some incoherent chatter. Minutes later, I heard a loud rumble as the huge Works doors were opened. Sunlight flooded into the Works building. While I may not have been able to see it, I could certainly feel it's warm, comforting rays cuddle my poor, aching body. Sighing with content, I allowed myself to drift back off to sleep again.

Sometime later, I was awakened suddenly by a door being slammed closed. I grunted crossly. _Why is it so noisy in here? All I want to do is get some sleep…_

Footsteps approached me. "Good morning, Elaine!" Ellie said cheerfully. She sounded a little too cheerful for my liking, so pretended to ignore her. I heard Ellie sigh. "How well did you sleep?"

"Okay, I guess," I mumbled. "So, when are the men going to start repairing me?"

"Soon. They're just having a meeting to discuss your condition, and how best to repair you."

I winced. Since this was my very first time being repaired, I had no idea how it would go. I just assumed that the men would start working on me immediately, and that I'd be back at work again in about a week. Clearly, it was going to take a lot longer than I'd anticipated. Since there was no one else around to talk to just now, I decided to ask Ellie the question that had be plaguing me ever since my accident.

"Ellie?"

"Yes, Elaine?"

"Um… I was just wondering… Is it normal for engines to not be able to see anything after an accident?"

Just like last night, Ellie hesitated. Finally, I heard her exhale deeply. "I'm not the sort of person to beat around the bush, so I may as well just tell you exactly what is going on. At ten o'clock, a specialist eye doctor is coming here to examine you. He often comes in here to examine engines whenever they're here for their annual exam. He'll be able to tell us more once he's looked at you."

"That doesn't answer my question!" I protested. _Why does everyone have to try to hide the truth from me? First the other engines didn't want to tell me about what happened to Godred, and now the humans won't even tell me what's wrong with me!_

Just as I was starting to feel angry, the real reason for Ellie's hesitation and vague answers suddenly made sense, and I gasped. "Ellie? Does that mean that this…blackness…isn't normal?"

I felt Ellie's soft hand tenderly stroke my cheek. "Yes," she whispered. I could clearly hear the emotion in her voice. She knew a whole lot more than she was letting on, so I decided to press harder.

"And…" I swallowed hard. "Is it possible that I may never be able to see again?"

Ellie sniffled. "I won't deny that that is a possible outcome for you. But Elaine…" Ellie sat herself down on a nearby step ladder. "This is going to be hard for all of us. Jim is extremely upset over the possibility that you could be permanently blind, so please try to be brave, for his sake as well as your own. He really cares about you a lot, you know. You're very special to him."

I choked back the tears that had started to form. Strange as it may seem, Ellie was right. I knew how much Jim loved me, even if he didn't show it in front of the other workers. After all, I was the very first mountain engine to be built at the Sodor Works, so Jim had every right to be upset. I drew in a deep breath.

"I-I'll try."

I felt Ellie pat my side. "That's a good engine. I'd better go and do some paperwork now, but I promise to be here when the specialist arrives."

A few hours later, some of the workers were busy trying to panel-beat the worst of my dents back into shape. It really hurt me, but remembering my promise to Ellie, I bore the pain as well as I could. Hearing a group approaching, the men stopped work, and they downed their tools.

"She's right over here, Doctor," I heard Jim say as they approached me. "I hope that you can do something for her."

"I'll do my best, but I'm not a miracle worker, Jim," an elderly man's gruff voice said. I felt the stranger's hand gently touch my side. "Well now, young lady," he said soothingly. "Let's see what we can do for you, eh?"

"Elaine, this is Doctor Harrison," Ellie said softly.

I heard Dr Harrison open up his bag, and after a few minutes of silence, he came over to me again. For once, the Works was deathly silent. I sensed that all of the workers had stopped what they were doing to watch. I didn't blame them either.

"Right, Elaine. I'm just going to put some eye drops into your eyes. This will help to flush out any specs of dust, and it will also help dilate your pupils."

I was very confused by what the doctor meant. "Huh?"

"Open your eyes as wide as you can, Elaine," Jim instructed me gently.

I obeyed. I couldn't help flinching when a cold drop of solution landed on my left eyeball. "Ow! Okay, that's enough!" I exclaimed. Dr Harrison ignored my complaints, and he turned his attention to my right eye. I stubbornly refused to open it, so he and Jim gently forced it open with their hands. "Ow!" I yelped again as another drop made contact with my right eyeball. Tears were now flowing freely down my cheeks. Ellie kindly wiped them away with a soft cloth.

"I'm sorry, Elaine," Dr Harrison apologised. "I know it irritates, but you need that for what I'm about to do. I'm now going to take a look inside your eyes with a torch, so please look straight ahead for me."

That wasn't hard to do. I heard the torch being flicked on, and then I sensed that Dr Harrison was leaning very close to me. In fact, I could even hear him breathing.

"Can you see anything, Elaine?" he asked me after a moment.

"No…" I started to say, but then I realised something. "Wait! I think I can see something…"

"What?" Ellie and Jim exclaimed excitedly in unison.

"What can you see?" Dr Harrison asked me calmly.

I focused for another moment. "I can see some brown…or very dark red… It's hard to tell."

"I see. And can you see that better if I move the torch over here?"

"No. Now I can't see it at all."

I heard Dr Harrison flick off the torch. "Right, everyone. I have some good and bad news. From what I can see, Elaine's eyes have been badly bruised internally. This kind of injury is usually caused by something solid hitting the eyelids. Considering she's just been involved in a rockslide, I'd say that a rock hit her. An impact like that can cause severe bruising anywhere. She was just very unlucky. The good news is that her optic nerves are completely undamaged. The fact that she could see a bit of light is an excellent sign. There is a possibility that she could one day see again."

I heard multiple sighs of relief. Then I heard Jim say softly, "But you can't guarantee that, can you?"

"No, I'm afraid not. The best thing you can do for her while she's here is to apply ice packs to her eyes for twenty minutes every two hours. That will help reduce the swelling and the bruising. I know this sounds horrible, but this isn't the end of the line for her. She's young enough to be able to adapt to her condition easily. An older engine would struggle a lot with this kind of injury."

"How long do you think it will be before we know if she will ever see again?" Ellie asked.

"I can't put a time frame on that, I'm sorry. As I said, the bruising is severe, and even with the ice, it will still be months, maybe even years before we know for sure."

"Years?" I breathed in disbelief. A cold chill raced through me as I realised what that could mean for me. Even without my aerophobia, a blind mountain engine would not be considered safe; especially when travelling down the mountainside. Before I could stop it, I began to hyperventilate as panic set in. "No! I can't spend years all alone in here! Please! You can't do that to me!"

"Calm down, Elaine," Jim soothed. "I promise, nobody's going to keep you in here for years. We'll work something out soon. You'll be okay. I promise."

Tears were falling freely down my cheeks again. Ellie had a tough time keeping up with her cloth. I heard some indistinct chatter as the workers reluctantly dispersed. Jim and Dr Harrison also walked away, leaving me all alone with Ellie for comfort. However, for once, Ellie remained silent. She just let me cry. It was several, long minutes before I finally managed to subdue my tears.

"So, if I'm not going to stay here, what's going to happen to me?"

I heard Ellie inhale as she was about to answer, but then Jim's voice intervened.

"Ellie! I need you in my office at once! Sir Topham Hatt, Mr Richards and Mr Sam have just arrived for a meeting about Elaine."

Ellie hurried away without even saying goodbye. Once again, I was left all alone, because the workers had all gone for their morning tea break. This time, I didn't hold back on my tears.

 **Ellie's POV**

I felt so guilty, having to rush away from poor Elaine when she was in such a state, but you don't keep the top dogs waiting for a meeting. It was rare that any of them came into the Works to talk to us, but to have all three there at once was almost unheard of. Without even trying, Elaine had caused quite a stir. Sometimes they came to see Jim to discuss certain projects or to tell him what to expect in the near future, but it was rare that Jim asked for me to be present, too. I supposed he needed some moral support; there was still a chance that the Chairmen would dismiss Elaine's case and request that she be scrapped; though I couldn't see the Fat Controller allowing that. The man had a real feeling for steam, and he was always careful that his engines – or _any_ other engines that passed his way – were given a fair chance.

The door slammed behind me – I could hear Elaine sobbing before it closed completely, and that fist pummelled my heart once more – and I suddenly found myself in Jim's tiny office, squeezed in with four men who all had authority over me. I didn't care; I just wanted to find out what was going to be done to help Elaine. Jim's nerves – which I had previously assumed were nonexistent – were showing too. He pushed his papers aside into a semi-tidy pile, as if he was worried he was going to receive an office inspection, but when he stopped and sat down I saw that his hands were shaking. As Sir Topham, Mr Richards and Mr Sam made themselves as comfortable as they could in their limited space, I sidled over to stand next to Jim. He noticed me, though, because he pushed a stool in my direction so that I could sit down, too.

"Well now, Mr Pearson. We're here to discuss Elaine's future." An obvious statement from Mr Richards, but I suppose he had to open the subject somewhere. "Now, what was Dr Harrison's verdict?"

"He...he says that Elaine might eventually be able to see again," Jim's voice was quieter than I'd ever heard it. "She said she could see the torchlight that Dr Harrison shone in her eyes, even though it was only a little. He recommended that we treat her eyes every two hours with ice packs, to reduce the bruising."

"And you'll have time for this? With the busy schedule here at the Works?"

Jim banged his fist down on the desk, making everyone jump. It was very uncharacteristic of him.

"We'll _make_ time. Ellie can help me out...can't you?"

I nodded.

"Of course I will, Jim."

Rather taken aback by Jim's sudden outburst, Mr Richards continued to speak, albeit a little more carefully.

"And...did he say that Elaine _would_ regain her sight?"

Jim didn't answer, so I picked up the slack, a little nervously.

"He said that there was no way he could be certain. Even if she does, it could months or years before it happens."

Mr Richards paused; he was very aware that everyone had their eyes locked on him, waiting for his verdict. He was quiet for several minutes before speaking again.

"Of course...you know that there is no way that a blind engine can run on my railway? It would be highly unsafe, not to mention very frightening for Elaine."

No-one could say anything for a moment or two. It was the verdict we'd been expecting, yet hearing it spoken aloud seemed to make it even worse. What would happen to Elaine? She wouldn't really be kept shut up in the Works for years, unable to move, would she? It was a terrible fate for any engine...and yet, what were the alternatives? Scrap? I couldn't bear that, and it would finish Jim off altogether. Jim's voice cut through my thoughts like a very sharp knife.

"So what are you _proposing_ we do with her?"

"Well, there is the option that she could be...how can I put this...we can...er..."

Mr Richards' hesitation made it quite clear where that line of thought was going, and I – like Jim – naturally assumed that he meant he was truly considering the idea of scrapping Elaine.

"We're not scrapping her." Jim stated. His voice sounded calm, but almost dangerously so. "I won't have her scrapped, even if it kills me."

This was where Sir Topham Hatt decided to make his opinions known.

"I understand your feelings, Mr Pearson. Truly I do." Jim looked at the Fat Controller as if to say: "You actually have no idea", but his respect for authority won out - as it always has done - and he said nothing, which was good, because things were about to work out in Elaine's favour. Sir Topham continued.

"Of course we would never consider scrapping Elaine unless it was absolutely necessary. But you must understand that it is true what Mr Richards says, though he may not have phrased it in the correct way. It would not be safe for Elaine to operate on the mountain railway; for herself or for the passengers. She would also be extremely frightened."

I imagined, just for a moment, trying to climb a mountain, or even a hill, without my eyesight. It was a frightening thought, and I could understand where Sir Topham was coming from. Judging by the expression on Jim's face, he was having similar thoughts, too. He nodded at Sir Topham - a sad, resigned nod.

"I have been discussing the matter with Mr Richards and Mr Sam, and wondering if it would not be better for Elaine to be relocated to the Skarloey Railway, at least for the time being."

Jim looked up as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Relocate her...to the Skarloey Railway? So you mean...you aren't going to scrap her?"

"My dear Mr Pearson," Sir Topham continued, "Scrapping would be a very last resort. Mr Sam and I also feel that she would be very welcome there, with sensible engines such as Rheneas and Skarloey to support her, as well as her crew. What do you think?"

I personally thought this was a great idea, although I was a little worried at the prospect of Elaine being sent somewhere new and having to get along with strangers while still trying to adapt to the fact that she had lost her sight. But anything was better than scrapping her, surely? Jim certainly thought so. He sat still in his chair for a moment, before leaning forward and shaking Sir Topham's hand with bombastic enthusiasm.

"I...thank you so much, Sir. I know Elaine won't let you down."

After the usual pleasantries were exchanged and the three chairmen left, Jim and I looked at each other with what could only be described as utter relief.

"Oh, Ellie," Jim's voice was almost a whisper. "I thought our Elaine was a goner."

I looked out of the little glass panel in the office door; Elaine was sitting in silence where we'd left her, tears running silently down her cheeks. That, to me, was more worrying than when she was crying and making a noisy job of it earlier.

"I knew Sir Topham wouldn't let us down."

Jim looked at me, slightly confused.

"I didn't know you were such a fan."

I laughed a bit.

"I don't think Sir Topham would ever scrap an engine unless he really had to."

Jim nodded thoughtfully.

"No, I suppose you're right. We'll have to break the news to Elaine soon, though. I...I don't know how she's going to take it. She's such a nervous little girl...I feel I've let her down."

I was surprised; it was rare for Jim to say such things out loud. So now I had to be the supportive one.

"Of course you haven't let her down, Jim. She's getting a second chance by going to the Skarloey Railway...do you think she'll be alright going there? You know, where she doesn't know anyone?"

It was Jim's turn to look out the glass panel at the little mountain engine who'd become his pride and joy.

"I don't know, Ellie. I hope so."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to HiT Entertainment. The OCs Ellie and Jim belong to Speckless Nougat. All other OCs, including Elaine, belong to me.**

 **Elaine's POV**

"Where's Elaine?"

I jumped awake as the Fat Controller's voice boomed all around the Works early the following morning. In fact, I believe it was so early that only Jim was there. I strained to hear his response to his boss' question.

"She's down near the front, on the narrow gauge line. Why do you want to see her?"

"Relax, Mr Pearson. I just want to talk to her. I didn't really get the chance yesterday."

"Okay, well I need to finish unlocking the building…"

"Please just carry on with whatever you need to do. Oh, and I need to talk to you about Boco when I'm done with Elaine."

"Yes, sir…"

I tensed up when I heard the Fat Controller approaching me. His footsteps stopped nearby, and I sensed that he was staring at me. Since I still had my eyes closed, I suppose he must've thought that I was still asleep.

"Elaine?" the Fat Controller called gently.

I pretended to still be asleep. The Fat Controller sighed. "Give it up, Elaine. I know you're awake."

Surprised, I opened my eyes. "How did you know that? Uh, sir…"

The Fat Controller chuckled. "I have my ways. Now, the reason I've come to see you this morning is because I wanted to ask you something important. I need you to seriously consider your answer, and you don't even need to give it to me today. I suppose you know about the meeting I and others had with Mr Pearson yesterday?

"I…no, sir. Not really, sir," I stammered nervously.

"Well, you might as well know that we were discussing your future, and the decision was made to transfer you to the Skarloey Railway for the immediate future…"

I heard someone groaning nearby. The Fat Controller also heard the noise. "Are you all right there, Mr Pearson?"

"Yes… It's just that…I haven't yet had the chance to tell Elaine about your decision yet…"

"I see… Well, I'm telling her now. However, last night, I was given some advice, which made me realise that nobody had asked Elaine what she wanted."

I gasped silently. "What do you mean, sir?"

"Elaine, I want to know, what do you want us to do with you? You have about four options to choose from. The first option is one that has been considered and rejected several times, and that is that we have you scrapped."

I closed my eyes and trembled fearfully. "No, sir, please! Anything but that!"

"Elaine, I said that we'd all rejected that option. So, that really leaves you with three to choose from. The next option is that you stay in here until you regain your eyesight. Of course, it is possible that that may never happen, and in the meantime you could still be working. The third option is what we'd settled on yesterday, and that is that we send you to work on the Skarloey Railway. However, that would mean that you'd have to be heavily modified to suit that line. The modifications would include levelling out your boiler, regauging your wheels, and changing your couplings. It will be very expensive and a logistical nightmare for everyone involved."

"So, what's the fourth option?" I asked impatiently.

"That you return to the Culdee Fell Railway. There's no reason why you couldn't help out on the line doing odd jobs and yard shunting, and other such things that wouldn't involve putting anyone at risk. Besides, you know that line now, and your friends there will be able to help you, I'm sure. But, as I said, I've decided that this will be your decision. I've spoken to Mr Richards, and he's agreed to leave the final decision up to you. We'll all respect whatever decision you make. As I said, you don't need to make up your mind today. When you've made your decision, just let Mr Pearson know, and then we'll make the necessary arrangements. Now, I'd better get to Knapford. Bye Elaine."

"Uh, Sir?" I called.

"Yes?"

"Could Thomas come and see me again soon, please? I really miss him…"

"I'll see what I can do. Now, I really must go, or I'll be late. Oh, Mr Pearson. I need to briefly discuss Boco with you, don't I?"

"Uh…Please, come into my office, sir…"

Once the men had gone, I exhaled deeply. The Fat Controller and Mr Richards were letting _me_ decide my own future! That was a big responsibility to place on me, considering how young I was.

 _What if I end up making the wrong decision? What if I do return to the Culdee Fell Railway, and I find I can't do the work? But, I don't want to have to go somewhere I don't know, and be with engines and people I'm not familiar with. And what about all those modifications the Fat Controller mentioned? They sure sounded painful. I've been through enough pain to last a lifetime already! I wish Culdee was here… He'd be able to help me…_

"Morning, Elaine!" Ellie called.

"Ellie! Have you heard the news?" I gushed.

"What news?"

"Sir Topham Hatt is going to let _me_ decide what I want to happen to me! He just came and told me. Only, I'm worried I'll make the wrong decision. Could you help me, please?"

"Sure! We can talk about it while I put another ice pack over your eyes."

I groaned in response. Ellie set to work securing a large ice pack over my eyes. She used my front handrails to hold the ice firmly in place.

"There, now. Is that comfortable?" she asked me gently once she'd finished.

"It's freezing, but it feels okay," I replied. "Can I tell you what the Fat Control… I-I mean, Sir Topham Hatt said?"

Ellie laughed, and she brushed the back of her hand along my cheek. "It's okay, Elaine! We all call him the Fat Controller, and he knows that. So long as we all remember not to say it directly to his face, he's fine with it as a nickname."

"Oh. That's okay then." And I began to tell Ellie what had happened before she'd arrived. Ellie breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I finished.

"So, which option would you prefer?" she asked.

"I want to go back to the Culdee Fell Railway," I replied without hesitation. "I know I'm afraid of heights, but I've just realised that maybe being blind could help me get over my fears."

"I'm afraid I don't follow that," Ellie replied. "Surely, being blind would just make things worse for you?"

"Maybe…" I knew Ellie was dubious, and I didn't blame her. "But, I know the line there now, and I really miss my friends there. Especially Culdee…and Shane…and Eric…and Wilfred…and Aleric…and Patrick…and Ernest..."

"Elaine…" Ellie began gently, but firmly. "You have just named _all_ of the engines on that line!"

"Well, they're all my friends! We get along really well together…" Then, softly, I added, "I miss them… And I'm sure they all miss me too." I tried to compose myself. "And besides, I'll have Margaret with me, and she's been on that line for over a hundred years, so she'll really be able to help me!"

Ellie didn't respond for a moment. At first, I thought she'd gone off and left me again, but then I felt her gently removing the ice pack from my eyes.

"Your eyes are looking better already," she said kindly. "The swelling has really gone down, and you can open them wider now."

"That's good, I suppose, but I still can't see anything…"

Ellie patted my smokebox fondly. "You need to learn to be patient, Elaine. This is only your fifth treatment with the ice. Anyway, I'm glad to see that you're starting to feel more cheerful. That's a good sign that you're on the mend at last. I'm afraid I've got to get back to work now, and the men will want to resume your repairs today, so I'll see you again in a couple of hours for your next ice treatment, okay?"

"Okay," I reluctantly agreed. "Bye Ellie."

About an hour later, I'd just started to doze off, when I heard a conversation starting nearby amongst the small group of men who were working on my repairs.

"Hey, Mark! What are you doing over here?"

"The boss sent me over here to conduct some metal fatigue tests on Elaine, now that I've finished with Boco. How is she by the way?"

"Ah, we're starting to make some progress. I think we've managed to hammer out most of her dents. There's still a few in her boiler casing that we need to get to, but all being well, we should get that done before knock-off time today."

"That's good. I heard that the big bosses are planning to send her to the Skarloey Railway. Is that correct?"

"That's what we've been told."

"Well, given her aerophobia, and now her blindness, I think she'll be far happier working on the Skarloey Railway. Especially considering we had to scrap her poor coach."

"WHAT?" I screamed, waking up instantly.

One of the workers spilled some off his coffee on the ground. I know, because I heard the splash as he spluttered over it.

"She heard!" someone else exclaimed with dismay.

"Go and get Jim and Ellie! Now!"

"I swear, I thought she was asleep!"

"We'll deal with that later," one man said firmly as he came around to my front. I was already hyperventilating and sobbing hysterically, trying desperately hard not to cry again. "It's all right, Elaine," he soothed. "Just take some deep breaths. You'll be okay…"

I heard running footsteps approaching.

"What happened?" Jim demanded to know as he rushed to my side.

"Mark didn't realise she was awake, and he mentioned poor Margaret's fate," the worker who'd been trying to calm me down, explained.

I heard Jim swear under his breath. "Go and wait inside my office!" he ordered Mark. "I'll deal with you soon."

I tried desperately hard to focus on taking one breath at a time. It wasn't easy though.

"That's it," Ellie murmured, and she gently stroked my smokebox. "Just focus on breathing slowly and evenly."

"Try and get her to sleep, Ellie," Jim instructed. "She's just had a huge shock, so sleep is the best thing for her right now. I'll be back again soon."

 **Ellie's POV**

Jim paused for a millisecond, clearly torn between staying with Elaine and sorting out the mess that Mark had made. The necessity to get things organized – and also to wipe the floor with Mark – won the debate, though he took a brief second just to gently brush his hand against Elaine's cheek. It's extremely difficult for an engine to show physical affection, though that problem works both ways – have you ever tried to hug a steam engine? – but Elaine clearly wanted Jim to stay, because she moved her cheek to nuzzle his hand as best she could. He hovered for that brief second, before storming into his office. I saw Mark standing by the desk. However angry I was at him for blabbering about this devastating news, I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit sorry for him too. Jim slammed the door. _Hard_. I was going to have to remember to get flowers for Mark's impending funeral.

The vicious slam of the door was enough to make poor Elaine whimper again. I was going to have my work cut out trying to get her to sleep as Jim requested. After a shock like that, not to mention the grief of losing her friend, I'd be lucky if I could get her to simply sit quietly while we waited for Jim's return. I could hear his voice from behind the closed door. He was laying into Mark like there was no tomorrow.

I continued to stroke Elaine's smokebox, talking in a soothing manner. This seemed to calm her a little, and her sobs quietened, though tears continued to slide down her cheeks. I wiped them away carefully, only for them to be instantly replaced with more. After a moment she spoke, her voice broken.

"Oh...Ellie. They...didn't really scrap Margaret, did they? I...after the rockslide, she wouldn't speak to me...I-I couldn't get her to answer..."

I longed to look into Elaine's eyes and know that she could see me, to know how truly sorry I was. Unfortunately, as she couldn't see my expression, I had to do it the hard way and say the words aloud.

"I'm so sorry, Elaine..." I felt like dirt as I tore up her last little piece of hope. "There...there was nothing we could do."

I felt Elaine's devastation turning to anger. It sounds strange, but I could sense it. I was the only one around, so I knew who was going to take the beating. I braced myself.

"You...you knew about this, Ellie?" I hadn't actually known all the details until this morning, and when I did I'd been sworn to absolute secrecy by Jim, who had been his usual direct self.

 _"Keep it to yourself, Ellie. Elaine will have to know soon but I want to tell her in my own time. She's got a lot on her plate right now and she doesn't need any more. Even if you think Elaine can't hear you, or she's asleep, please don't discuss Margaret with that lip zipped, eh?"_

I'd kept _my_ lip zipped as requested, but Mark clearly hadn't got the memo. I hesitated before responding to Elaine, but not for long.

"I didn't know all the details until this morning, Elaine."

"But you suspected?"

"I...well, yes. Yes I did."

"And you didn't think to even tell me? Did Jim know about this too?"

I had no choice but to be honest with her.

"Yes, Jim knew."

Elaine burst into fresh tears.

"I thought you were my friends! I...why would you keep such a thing a secret from me?"

"Jim and I thought that you had enough to deal with just at the moment."

"That's _my_ decision to make!"

I reached up and touched Elaine's cheek, but she winced, as though the touch of my hand stung her somehow. In that moment, her voice became tiny once again, though when she spoke, she didn't sound quite as angry. I thought that maybe the idea that Jim had her best interests at heart had quelled her anger, even if only a little.

"Leave me alone, please...Ellie...I want to be alone..."

Elaine trailed off, tears still running down her cheeks. I was just a little hurt, but I understood. Without another word, I went into my office to get some paperwork done, though I kept a careful eye on Elaine through the glass at all times.

I was observing her quietly from the office door when Jim and Mark suddenly appeared from the formers' office. Mark had his head down, looking utterly ashamed of himself. Jim dismissed him and he went back to work, so I suppose he was lucky enough to get away with keeping his job. Mark looked up at Elaine as he walked past; although she couldn't see him, he broke his gaze away quickly and stared at the floor shamefacedly as he hurried off to join his workmates. I watched him for a nanosecond, then left my office and went over to Jim. I didn't want Elaine to know I was there; she had her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, so I knew that if I spoke to Jim in the open space of the Works Elaine was going to hear every word. I didn't like talking about her behind her back, but I needed to discuss things with Jim.

He could clearly see by the look on my face that I wanted to talk about Elaine (indeed, she had been the only engine on our minds for quite some time), and he gestured with his hand for me to go inside the office. Neither of us said anything until the door was firmly shut, and even then we talked in low whispers, like we were a council of war or something. Jim spoke first. He sat down behind his desk, elbows on the wooden surface, looking more tired and old than I'd ever seen him. Jim's getting on a little in years, but he's so sprightly that we all tend to forget this fact. It was like I was seeing him in a different light altogether.

"How did she take it?"

I shook my head.

"Badly. She's furious with both of us."

Jim buried his head in his hands.

"I was only thinking about her wellbeing...I just wanted her to get a little better, recover from her accident a little more before I had to break that devastating news to her. The men did everything they could for Margaret, but it was already too late. How are we going to explain that to her?"

"I think..." I stopped, because what I was about to say sounded like I was expecting Jim to do all the dirty work, though that wasn't my initial plan. As I've said before, he appreciates honesty, so I went ahead. "I think that you should maybe explain things to her yourself. You two have such a special bond, I think it would do her good if you were to...erm...have a sort of _fatherly_ talk to her."

I was expecting resistance, but I didn't get it. Jim lifted his head and nodded.

"No, you're right. I...I'll talk to her."

Jim stood up from his desk and headed to the door of the office. He smiled at me on the way past.

"No time like the present. Thanks, Ellie."

I followed him out and shut the door, smiling to myself a little. It may not sound like it, but 'thanks' from Jim is one of the highest forms of praise that he can issue you with. The last thing I saw before I closed the door to my own office was Jim heading towards Elaine with a sort of gentle determination on his face.

 **Elaine's POV**

All I wanted to do was sleep. The events of the past three days had worn me to a frazzle, both emotionally and physically. I couldn't believe that dear, sweet Margaret had been scrapped! It was too horrible to bear thinking about. I could only hope that she hadn't been aware of what was happening to her when they…

"No!" I scolded myself as the sense of panic started to overwhelm me again. But I couldn't stop thinking about my poor friend. I wished now that I'd been nicer to her. I mean, I'd never been unkind to her at all, but she had gotten on my nerves from time to time, especially whenever she'd called me 'dear'. But now, I longed to hear her calling me that, because… _Oh! What's the point of wishing? She's been scrapped, and she isn't coming back!_

"WHY?" I screamed into the air. I didn't care if anyone heard me. I needed to vent my anger somehow, since I couldn't very well throw something at a solid brick wall the way humans did. "Why did this have to happen to me?"

More tears cascaded down my checks. I'm amazed I still had some left. But they didn't last for very long, because they finally stopped flowing. I concentrated ontaking deep, even breaths. I knew that no amount of tears would change my situation. I was blind and Margaret was gone forever.

I sensed that someone was standing close by, watching me silently. I exhaled tiredly. "I said, I wanted to be left alone…"

Instead, the person came closer to me. The footsteps sounded very much like Jim's. I heard him move a stool over, and the he sat down on it. The silence between us strained for several minutes. Finally, Jim spoke.

"I don't know why these things happen either, Elaine." His voice was soft and steady. Much like a father's, really. "Sadly, you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I know that doesn't help you feel any better, but now that this has happened to you, we're all going to do everything we can to help you."

"Keeping secrets from me doesn't help me at all!" I snapped as the anger swelled up inside me again. "You should've told me about Margaret as soon as you knew!"

"I was going to tell you when you were feeling stronger," Jim replied, trying to keep his voice even. "We'd only made the decision to scrap her yesterday evening, and you were asleep then. I can promise you, we did absolutely everything we could to try and save her, but her injuries were far too severe. Around here, nobody makes the decision to scrap a vehicle until we've done absolutely everything within our power to try and save it. But, you can be proud of Margaret. Because of her, none of your passengers were severely injured or killed. She gave up her life to save others."

I remained silent while Jim spoke. What he said made sense. All of my anger towards him and Ellie vanished, leaving me too exhausted to even open my eyes. There was no point in me doing that anyway.

Jim must've thought I'd fallen asleep, because he tenderly brushed my cheek with his hand. "Elaine? Are you listening?"

"Yes…" My voice slurred slightly because I was so tired. "S-sir Topham Hatt… He said I could decide what happened to me…" I tried to stifle a yawn, but I failed miserably.

"I know," Jim said kindly. "And have you decided what you want to do?"

"I want to go home…"

Jim didn't need to ask what I meant by that. As I finally drifted off into a very deep, healing sleep, I thought I felt Jim's lips brush against my forehead. I might have been mistaken though, but I wouldn't have been at all upset to know that he had kissed me.

"Sweet dreams, little Elaine. My little 'shining light'."

 **And sadly, that's the end of this story. I really do hope you've all enjoyed reading more into what took place at the Works. Again, I really have to thank Speckless Nougat for taking the time to co-write this story with me. It's been so much fun, so please look out for more stories co-written by us in the future!**


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